Adam and Isla’s story

Adam was born at 32 weeks, and was starved of oxygen at birth. He spent 13 weeks in intensive care, and during the first two years of his life went through lots of surgery and hospital admissions. Mum and dad, Kerry and Karl, tell his story:

“When Adam was born we knew he would have some problems; he never learnt to feed from a bottle, never rolled over, and couldn’t sit or control his head. After his birth he was in and out of hospital and he had to be resuscitated several times,” explained his mum, Kerry.

Adam has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease and uncontrolled epilepsy. He has lots of seizures and severe reflux, which means he has to be fed directly into his stomach. As Adam has grown, his condition has worsened, as his chest and lungs are damaged due to the amount of chest infections he has endured.

The family first came to Bluebell Wood when Adam was six, and his little sister, Isla, was a baby. Adam visits Bluebell Wood for respite, often with his parents, Kerry and Karl. Adam enjoys arts and crafts, going in the Jacuzzi, music therapy and trips into the garden.

Kerry said: “At first, we didn’t know what to expect. Passing your child over to someone else to care for is daunting at first.

“We’ve been coming to Bluebell Wood now for several years and it really feels like we’re part of the family.”

“Now Isla’s at school, she sees that other children get to go on days out, to the cinema, or to the beach.

“It’s really hard to do those sort of trips out with Adam’s needs – it’s impossible to take a wheelchair onto sand!

“We took Isla on a day trip to Cleethorpes recently while Adam was looked after at Bluebell Wood – it rained all day but Isla loved it.”

Kerry said she can feel guilty that she doesn’t spend enough time with Isla, but then also feels guilty about being Adam’s nurse, rather than his mum. She said:

“Last night at Bluebell Wood, I just sat and cuddled Adam.

“Usually I live my life round time; what time he has his medicine, or his hospital appointments. For someone else to get his drugs ready, means I can relax and get to do the nice Mummy bits rather than the nursing bits.”

Kerry also finds it really helpful and supportive to speak with other Bluebell Wood families experiencing similar emotions.

“You sometimes feel very isolated at home, so meeting other families at the hospice reassures us. Bluebell Wood is a support network; we really feel like we belong.

“Thank you so much to all the people who fundraise for Bluebell Wood. Without them it wouldn’t be possible for families like us to have these experiences.”

Tilly has hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which means she didn’t get enough oxygen to her brain when she was born. Now she comes to Bluebell Wood with her mum, Rebecca, and her big brother, Gabriel, where she loves meeting new people and relaxing in the spa pool.

William is Paul and Michelle’s ‘miracle boy’. Before he was born he had a stroke and spent the first nine months of his life in hospital. Despite facing so many challenges, William has never stopped smiling, and he loves coming to Bluebell Wood.

Mia was a happy, bubbly nine-year-old who was always on the go. In August 2018 she was diagnosed with a rare condition where the body reacts aggressively to an infection, and she died eight days later. Her family spend valuable time together at Bluebell Wood after she passed away.

Four month old Lily died at Bluebell Wood in February 2017 after being born with a rare heart condition. Her mum and dad, Ella and Ryan, call the hospice their lifeline, and they still visit with their son, Oliver.

Chester and Rhianna were born at just 26 weeks old in 2009, and they spent their first year in hospital fighting for their lives. Chester has brain damage and Hirschsprung disease, which means he can’t pass poo normally, and now visits Bluebell Wood for short breaks. His mum and dad, Lisa and Ian, tell his story:

Charlotte Lee calls daughter Gracie her snow baby. Born in January 2009 following a healthy pregnancy, Gracie’s arrival was a few months after young Sheffield mum Charlotte had received the surprise but welcome news that she was expecting. However, over the next few years Gracie had some developmental issues, which led to a sad discovery.

Olivia is a bubbly, chatty teenager who loves singing, and all things Harry Potter. She lives in Sheffield with her mum and dad, Michelle and Russell, and her brothers, Harry and Finley, and loves spending time at Bluebell Wood.

You are the reason that children and families can create magical memories and make the most of their time together.
Your donations provide much needed funds to support our families, and to create memories that they will treasure forever.